Out of the South cometh the whirlwind

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Just what is Bill Connor trying to sell?

Granted, South Carolina has had some real dogs run for lieutenant governor over the years.

Earle Morris, who served as second in command in the early 1970s, is currently behind bars for his role in the Carolina Investors scandal.

Cole Blease, one of the state’s most virulent racists, lost his bid for the Democratic nod for lieutenant governor to James Tillman in the 1900 primary.

And Tillman, of course, went on to infamy when, as lieutenant governor, he gunned down NG Gonzales, the editor of The State newspaper, at the corner of Main and Gervais streets, in downtown Columbia in 1903.

So it’s probably accurate to say that Bill Connor isn’t the least-qualified individual in state history to ever throw his hat in the ring for the position.

But that certainly doesn’t mean he’s the right person for the job.

Connor apparently believes the secret to securing SC’s second-highest elected position is touting his military service (along with that of his father and grandfather), tossing out a few red-meat sound bites to inflame rabid conservatives (“government is not the answer; freedom is the answer”) and repeat ad nauseam his belief in God, country and family.

All that’s nice, but it’s unclear what direction he has in mind for South Carolina because if one goes to his website, www.voteconnor.com, all one finds is information on how to donate to Connor’s campaign and how to contact the campaign.

In other words, it’s all about what South Carolina can do for Bill Connor, not what Bill Connor can do for South Carolina.

One might have thought that an individual who spends so much time and energy boasting about his time in the military would have understood the importance of advance planning before declaring his candidacy.